It might be a grainy, long-lens spyshot rattled off during Scandinavian winter testing, but this is one of the first views of the production Nissan Qazana. It’s Nissan’s new 2010 SUV, a shrunken Qashqai to slot into the emerging mini-SUV market.
The Qazana appears to follow loosely the format set by the 2008 concept car: a compact SUV lite with some curvy bodywork, a bijou footprint and – lurking under that disguise – some distinctively funky detailing. CAR’s new scoop photos show a much plainer feel for the 2010 production Qazana, shorn of the concept’s suicide doors and low-set coupé stance, but sources insist some of the ‘jewellery’ is retained.
The Qazana’s silhouette sports a raked back window with a hint of big brother Qashqai, but a shorter wheelbase with just enough room for four passenger doors.
It’s the front of the Qazana which appears to be most faithful to the show car’s snout. The round, low-set driving lamps are clearly visible in this photograph, and the bluff upright nose follows the concept car layout.
So when can I see the new Nissan Qazana?
This is a 2010 car, scheduled for a Geneva motor show debut in March. Expect the production Qazana in Nissan showrooms by late summer 2010.
Four-wheel drive will be offered, but most Qazanas will be sold as front-drive models for superior economy and emissions levels. The usual Nissan/Renault small petrol and diesel engines will be offered, with a 1.5dCi likely to be the big seller in most derv-centric European markets.
What’s this obsession with SUVs? I thought there was a recession on…
The Qazana is one of a burgeoning number of small SUVs. Manufacturers are twigging to the potential of smaller, lighter off-roaders with their potential for lower carbon emissions.
Mini is muscling into the sector with its autumn 2010 Crossover model, the Skoda Yeti is already there and Hyundai is preparing a compact 4×4 too. The new breed is designed to assuage the guilt while still providing the supposed glitz of SUV-kind.
Want proof that buyers continue to lap up SUVs even in these carbon-crunched times? Get this. In 2000 there were 54 models sold globally; today, you can pick between 111 SUVs.